St Kilda are keen on securing Richmond youngster Jack Higgins but are “very unlikely” to make a move for Collingwood’s Adam Treloar in this year’s AFL trade period.
Higgins is contracted at Richmond for 2021 but has been linked to a move after playing just 10 games this season.
St Kilda chief operating officer Simon Lethlean said the Saints had spoken to Higgins’ management but the 21-year-old was yet to request a trade.
“We’ve only had discussions at the early stages that we are keen on Jack as a player,” Lethlean told SEN Breakfast.
“But he’s contracted and hasn’t given any significant indication that he wants to come to the Saints – to us or to the Tigers.
“So there’s a lot of speculation about that one, but given he’s under contract, that’s really with the Tigers to consider. So it’s very early days, that one.
“We’ve had discussions with his management but it’s not at the stage where he’s told the Tigers that he wants to leave because he’s under contract and I think he’s a pretty well regarded player at the club.”
The Saints’ acquisition of free agent Brad Crouch has made a move for Treloar, who is contracted until 2025 but looks on the outer at Collingwood, less likely.
Lethlean said if Treloar “had designs on the Saints” the club would look at a deal, but St Kilda were unlikely to have the salary cap space available to secure him.
“We’re very interested observers,” Lethlean said.
“Treloar is a sensational player, but if you asked me right now if he’d be at the Saints, I’d say it’s very unlikely.
“We don’t have the cap space or the assets to be getting that deal done in my view and we certainly haven’t spoken to Adam or Collingwood.
“We did say if the Crouch deal fell over we would potentially have a look at Adam as that midfielder we’re looking for, but given the Crouch deal’s gone ahead I think our focus and ability on that one is pretty minimal.”
Lethlean said the Saints were “getting pretty close” to securing former Bomber Shaun McKernan as a delisted free agent.
Adelaide kicked off day two of trade period by sending defender Kyle Hartigan to Hawthorn for a 2021 fourth-round pick.
The Hawks traded for unrestricted free agent Hartigan, 28, to avoid diluting their third-round compensation pick for now-Cat Isaac Smith.